OPEN LETTER TO YG & ALL YUKONERS Re: EAGLE GOLD MINE CRISIS
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (“FNNND”) is grieving the impacts of the June 24 collapse of the heap leach pad at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine in our
Traditional Territory. The mine site is an area our Nation has relied on for generations
for harvesting and traditional pursuits. It is now filled with toxins. This area may never
recover from the millions of litres of cyanide solution poisoning our lands.
The Eagle Gold Mine disaster did not occur in a vacuum. It was preceded by years
of warning signs, including a landslide in January and chronic water storage and
management issues. It is unclear what, if any, steps Yukon Government (“YG”) took in
response to these red flags.
FNNND understands YG struck an independent review board (“IRB”), pursuant to the
Guidelines for Mine Waste Management Facilities (“Guidelines”), to investigate the
technical causes of the Eagle Gold Mine failure. FNNND offered to co-govern such a
review in a revised terms of reference FNNND sent to YG on August 27. YG ignored
us. They did not even respond to FNNND’s offer, instead announcing the IRB on
August 30.
The IRB is insufficient. The Guidelines contemplate a technical process to help
mining companies avoid disasters like this one—not a holistic process to look back
on the many direct and indirect causes of a disaster that has already occurred.
FNNND urged YG to ensure the IRB undertake a “review of prior compliance issues
at the Eagle Gold mine and an assessment of any shortcomings in YG’s compliance,
monitoring, and enforcement activity with respect to Eagle Gold Mine in the lead
up to this failure.” YG flatly rejected this. FNNND again urges YG to initiate a
public inquiry into the Eagle Gold Mine disaster that includes an investigation
of how YG’s oversight—or lack thereof—may have contributed to the incident.
This requires an independent public inquiry with robust investigative powers be
constituted pursuant to the Public Inquiries Act.
The Eagle Gold Mine disaster is a symptom of a larger, systemic, issue plaguing
mining regulation in Yukon. The Eagle Gold Mine is only the latest in a long string of
toxic mine liabilities that burden the Yukon, including Minto, Faro, Mount Nansen,
and Wolverine. The consequence of regulatory negligence and a business-as-usual
approach at an unsafe and unsound site now hangs over taxpayers’ heads. This
disaster will continue to impact the lands, waters, wildlife, and community of FNNND
for the foreseeable future. YG’s oversight of all existing and future mining activity in
the Yukon must be scrutinized.
FNNND repeats our demand for the establishment of a public inquiry
into the Eagle Mine Disaster and calls for an immediate halt to all
mining activity on our Traditional Territory. This includes all existing
and proposed mineral staking, exploration, and development.
FNNND urges all Yukoners
to join FNNND in these calls.
On August 14, 2024, Chief Hope called a press conference to provide an environmental update on the disaster, and announce the loss of confidence in Victoria Gold’s ability to effectively manage the crisis at Eagle Mine and mitigate further environmental harm.
The video above is a recording of this press conference, taking place at the Kwanlin DĂĽn Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon.
For further questions and clarifications, please contact: vgresponse@nndfn.com.
Thank you to Gunta Business for facilitating this event.
Thank you to the Kwanlin DĂĽn First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council for hosting us on your Traditional Territories as we continue our important work in self-governance and land stewardship.